There are actually laws that kick in that force you to go public if you don't want to. For example Facebook did not want to go public, so whatever happens to them, Zuck can sit back and go "see I told you so".

"“By now, one-digit growth rates are not even regarded as good enough. If you plan double-digit growth rates you run the risk of threatening your whole business model, if the presumed growth rate is simply not happening."

The stock market surge started around '85, really took hold in the later 90's internet boom and hasn't let up. I guess the computer age and day trading has really changed the whole way we do anything. Instead of long term plans, it seemingly is live for today. So when people say, our system has worked for 200+ years, you could make an argument our system changed radically in the past 25 years and are we headed in a good direction today where speculators, we are talking speculation is more important than true realities?